This
complex, in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn and
the Civic Center area, serves the IRT
2,
3, 4, and
5 lines and the BMT 4th
Ave R train. It
is a product of the Dual Contracts IRT/BRT
construction.

IRT East Side/Lexington Avenue Lines
(Borough Hall)

opened 1/9/1908
This station serves the
4 and
5 trains, it is a mix
of renovation and restoration to its original
1908 appearance. However 2 of the grand
"BH" mosaics on the N/B side are missing.
Platform clearly extends to the south side where
you can get a close up of 2 and 3 trains turning
off before entering their side of this complex,
the 1960's tile was used for the extension (if
the platform extension took place today, they
would use authentic replicas of Borough Hall
tablets and mosaics. F/T side is at the
center and leads to Brooklyn Municipal Building
and both sides on Joralemon Street. The
subway entrances are also preserved, however,
the P/T side at east side of Joralemon and Court
Streets, is renovated and has no signs of the
original 1908 design. The passageway to
all other train services is at the south end.
For the first months of the 1908 opening, this
was the temporary terminal until the line was
extended to Atlantic Ave in May, 1908. .

IRT West Side Lines (Borough Hall) opened

4/15/1919: This area serves the IRT
2 and
3 lines and has 2
tracks along 2 side platforms in a dual-level
format. The upper level serves the
Manhattan bound trains and passageway to the IRT
East Side station, while the lower level is for
southbound (towards Flatbush and New Lots
Avenues). This area is not renovated, but
is ADA accessible be means of a 3-stop elevator
that covers both levels with the mezzanine level
to Cadman Plaza West. There are 2
staircases from lower to upper level, one is
near the Lexington Ave passageway, and the other
is near the other staircase and up escalator to
mezzanine level. Mosaic has rendition of
the Brooklyn Borough Hall clock tower, across
the street from the Municipal Building.
The platform extensions are clearly to the north
end of this station.

The mezzanine level above the IRT West Side
platforms, has 1 large street stair and elevator
in from of the Brooklyn Supreme Court Building
and Brooklyn Borough Hall, plus 2 newer
staircases on the S/W of Cadman Plaza and
Montague Streets. Because of the
installation of the ADA elevator at this area,
it was converted from to full time status
. Alongside where the elevator inside fare
control, the mosaic band is the imitation to the
original band along the same mezzanine.
The shape of the subway entrances, the tiles,
and the font of the signs, all clearly show
these exits were constructed in the early
1960's. The elevator entrance at street level,
recreates the 1900's look ad is similar to the
elevator outside Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall IRT
station. After passing through fare
control there is a passageway to the BMT portion
of this complex. As we walk down towards
the escalator, there is a sealed entrance
to a bank, with ghost booth and exit, blue tiles
exist in this area and was probably a new
construction in the 1960's.

BMT Montague Street (Court Street-Borough

Hall)opened
3/11/1920: 2 tracks on island platform, it
has 2 staircases to mid-level, and then the
escalators mentioned above. The mosaic on
the track wall shows the Brooklyn Borough Hall
tower.A second P/T entrance to
Clinton and Montague Streets has 1 staircase
from platform to mid-level, where you can board
any one of the 3 elevators to mezzanine level.
The doors open on one side at the bottom level,
but open on both sides on the mezzanine level.
There are two street stairs, one of which blends
in with a church upstairs. The platform
extension is to the north at the Clinton St side
with a break in the platform walls, they are
tunnel shaped.

For the walking tour, start at the newer
looking staircases at Joralemon and Court
Streets and enter fare control. Be sure
you use the Manhattan-bound staircase, or your
tour will not work. Walk down to other
end, walk upstairs to the Borough Hall mezzanine
then back down. Go through passageway, to
the IRT 2 and
3 platform, go upstairs
and turn right to walk through the passageway.
Observe the blue tiled area where the sealed
exit and bank once stood. Go down the escalator
and far staircase to BMT platform, then walk
down the R line
platform to Clinton St side and ride the
elevator back to the last mezzanine.

Contact us at
subway-buff@stationreporter.net (paste this address into your e-mail
program)